starting a family
by Storiesinmymind12
Summary: Emily and Damon are married at about to start a family follow them on the journey
1. Chapter 1

He awoke to the smell of bacon sizzling on the stove. And coffee. It made waking up without her wrapped in his arms a little better, but only a bit. It took longer than it should have for him to lift his head up and read the clock. 9:30am, later than he was used to but he was grateful for the extra rest.

He pushed himself out of bed, not bothering to put a shirt on, instead following the smell of bacon into the kitchen where Emily was pulling two plates out. "You made breakfast he mumbled" giving her a peck on the cheek before reaching across for a coffee mug. He needed coffee.

"Yeah, well, it's been a while and I just wanted to…" she hesitated and he studied her carefully for a moment. Even half asleep he could tell when she was hiding something, and she was most definitely hiding something. He was opening his mouth to question her motives when his eyes fell on something on the counter that made his stomach drop.

"What's that?" he asked, walking towards the cause of his panic, how could he forget…what the hell was he even forgetting.

Emily cocked her head to the side, confusion setting on her face, "What? Oh, it's nothing, just…you know, a just because kind of thing." Damon could tell that was a lie and that fact made him feel even more guilty than he was already. He reached out, picking the card off the kitchen counter, his name written in neat print on the outside, a little smiley face next to his name.

It was a card. Cards meant birthdays and anniversaries and valentine's day and all the other special days in between. It wasn't her birthday, or his, that much he was sure of. It wasn't their anniversary. It was the middle of June, they had made jokes about June not being an important month for them, so why was there a card.

"Hey…" she said, her hand touching his face and turning it towards her, "You didn't forget anything, like I said, it's just a spontaneous thing. I promise." She gave him one of those smiles that lit up her whole face and made all the weight lift off his shoulders. He nodded, feeling himself calm down gradually, glancing at the card with curiosity. "So if it's not a holiday that I'm forgetting, what is it?" Emily's face lit up with excitement but she hid it as well as she could, "Why don't you open it up and find out?"


	2. Chapter 1 Part 2

He nodded, turning the card over in his hand and putting his finger under the fold to do just that. Emily was practically bouncing as he pulled it out of the envelope and looked at the front and shook his head. A large teddy bear was on the front, a smaller teddy bear holding the hand of the large one. It was perfect, it was them and he loved it before he even opened it.

"How did I get so lucky" he leaned in, kissing her on the forehead as she continued to bounce with anticipation. "Damon oh my gosh just open it!" she said, losing her normal composure for a moment, he raised an eyebrow but obliged, opening the card to read it out loud.

"To the best husband a woman could ever ask for. I love you…Happy…" he paused as he finished reading her note, his eyes widening.

Damon would be the first person to say he was a big talker. Good or bad, he was not afraid to give his opinion, and he rarely was rendered speechless. This was one of those moments.

They stood in the middle of the kitchen for a moment, the food on the stove, the coffee in the mug, everything else was put on pause as he stared at the card in his hand, Emily standing in front of him with a nervous smile. "Damon you are making me nervous, say something." She said, reaching out and touching his arm, breaking the spell. He shook his head, trying to clear the overwhelming feelings that had struck him. "Is this real…" he said, looking from the card to her then back again. She nodded, her eyes watering up at the look of pure bewilderment he had, "It's real."

"You're…I'm…" He ran his hands through his hair, trying (and failing miserably) to steady his racing heart. He was speechless and he set the card down, wrapping his arms around Emily and clinging to her like a lifeline. She leaned her head against his chest, holding him close and rubbing her hands up his back in a comforting motion. He ran his fingers through her tangled brown hair, mumbling incoherently into her head.

"What was that?" she asked, leaning back to look at his face. It was covered in tears, a huge smile forming as realization seemed to finally sink in.

He shook his head, "I can't believe it, I don't know what I did to deserve you, to deserve this, but I am so grateful." He took her back in his arms, his thumb rubbing circles in her sides. He stole a glance at the card again, his heart skipping a beat.

 _To the best husband a woman could ever ask for. I love you, Happy Father's Day._


	3. Chapter 2

It looks like a crime scene in here." Damon stood in the door of their bathroom, taking in the setting. His wife was laying on the floor, her cheek pressed up against the cold tile. There were little bits of toilet paper on the ground that she had obviously been picking, and her laptop was resting up against the toilet, where a muted episode of Glee was playing.

He leaned down and moved the hair off of her face. "Have you been like this all day?"

She groaned and hid her head in her arms.

"I'll take that as a yes." He scooped her up off the floor and walked her to their bed, where she curled up immediately. He went back to the bathroom and turned on the bath water, making it as a comfortable temperature as he could.

He went back to his wife. "Do you need help getting undressed?"

Her voice was hoarse. "I think I can do that part by myself."

He got in the bath first, so that she could completely rest against him. He felt her muscles loosen in the warm water and against his skin. He ran his finger tips up and down her arms, around her stomach, across her hipbones as her head rested against his neck.

"Morning sickness isn't supposed to last all day."

"Maybe you're just special."

"This is a pretty sucky special." She held his hands on her stomach, wishing to feel the faintest flutter, that would let her know this would all be worth it.


	4. Chapter 3

The music video crew is taking a break. Damon is sitting in his chair behind the camera looking at his phone. He is checking emails. It's been a long day and he really wants to go home to Emily . She is a little over 8 months pregnant and she has been very uncomfortable lately.  
"Hey Damon, looks like you have some company" Razor says excitedly. Damon looks up from his phone and sees Emily walking, well waddling, towards him. A smile grows on his face and he rushes to her.  
"Emily, baby, what are you doing here?" he says as she wraps him into a hug.  
"I missed you so I came to visit you."  
"But you shouldn't be driving."  
"I'm allowed to drive. You know that."  
"But…"  
"Why are you arguing with me?"  
"Sorry baby. I love you."  
"I love you too" she says kissing him. Emily takes his hand and walks to his chair. She takes a seat in it and he stands behind her with his hands on her shoulders.  
"Damon?"  
"Yes baby."  
"Can I stay here?"  
"You mean in my seat?"  
"No silly. I mean on set. I don't want to go home. I miss you too much and it is so boring at home."  
"Of course you can stay."  
Her hands go to her belly and she starts rubbing. She takes a sharp intake breath. This makes Damon worried.  
"Little lady, that hurt. That was not very nice" Emily says looking down at her belly. Damon leans down and puts his hands on her belly.  
"Little lady, be nice to your Mom. Don't hurt her please."  
As they talk to their little lady, Razor take pictures of them. Razor sends his picture to Damon.  
"Everyone to their places please. It's time to get started."  
"Sorry baby" Damon says standing upright and coming around to the front of his chair, extending his hand to her. She takes it and helps her stand.  
"It's ok. I love watching you work and hearing you sing ." He walks her over to another chair behind the scenes to watch the video . He kisses her before returning to his spot behind the piano so they can get started. He grabs his phone and sees the picture Razor sent him. He smiles over at Razor and quickly sends it to Emily . The smile on his face would not leave.


	5. Chapter 4

"Emily. You are pregnant. There are certain thing you can't do."

"And this isn't one of them."

"How in the world are you even supposed to play with a eight month old baby in your belly?"

"Damon , it's _whiffle ball._ Not football or wrestling or uneven bars ."

"Still. I don't think you should do it."

"Yes."

"No.

" _Yes."_

" _No."_

"You're dumb."

"I think you mean protective."

"No. I definitely mean dumb, dummy."

They paused to see half the picnic staring at them, most of them looking like they were trying to hold back smiles. Razor yelled from across the yard.

"You know how most people like you two fight like old married couples? You two don't. You fight like five year-olds."

They stared each other down, trying to stay mad, but failing as they burst into laughter.

"He's right, you know," Emily said. "We do fight like little kids."

"And just like I was little," Damon sighed, "I'm afraid to stand up to the pretty girl. Play. But be _careful._ "

"I will, Damon ."

She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, and the whole picnic awed.


	6. Chapter 5

She was tiny. He thought his wife was tiny, but no, his daughter won the prize for tiniest. Her tiny little mouth opened into a perfect 'o' as she yawned. Damon felt his heart beat faster. He brought her tiny head up to his mouth, kissing her head and taking in that sweet new baby smell. This was his second time experiencing love at first sight, and the feeling never got old.

His other true love spoke from her bed. "Do you love her?"

He looked at his wife, tears in his eyes. "What kind of question is that?"

She smiled. "I think we should name her Sophia ."

He walked over to his wife and leaned down to give her a kiss, all of the words he couldn't say included.

"So you agree with the name?"

"What kind of question is that?" He was beaming from ear to ear.


	7. Chapter 6

"And there is officially a family of 3 living in this house." Damon closed the door behind them.

"Don't forget starlight the cat !"

"Fine, family of 4." He put the carrier on the table in their entry way, and Emily went to go take Sophia out.

"Should we give her a tour of the house?"

"She's asleep."

"It's the thought that counts." She held their baby in her arms, and Damon swore he had never seen anything so natural. "Plus, we only have about an hour to ourselves before the family arrives."

"True," he replied. "But are you sure you don't want to sit down and rest?"

She smiled at him. "I would rather give my baby a tour with my husband."

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "Okay, Sophia, this is the foyer. I imagine you'll spend years tracking dirt and mud through here, your mother or I yelling at you every time, and you never learning your lesson."

Emily smiled up at him as he led them to the next room. Her little family was absolutely perfect.


	8. Chapter 7

"Emily , she's gonna do it!" He called out from the living room.

"She can wait until after I finish my sandwich!"

"I don't think she can. She's ready."

"Trust me, she can wait."

"She just did it!"

Emily sprang up from her seat and sprinted into the living room. Damon was holding Sophia in his lap. "Okay, I lied. She didn't do it yet. But it got you in here!"

Emily rolled her eyes, but sat down anyway. "It was a really freaking good sandwich."

"Better than watching our only daughter take her first steps?"

Emily lifted Sophia from Damon's lap, giving her an Eskimo kiss. "Your daddy is just the most manipulative. Yes he is! Yes he is!" She said in her most obnoxious baby voice


	9. Chapter 8

They thought they were surprising her. They really did, poor things. As if the "you just sleep in today, babe" wasn't give away enough, the banging of pans and sizzling of bacon could be heard all the way up the stairs. Not to mention, she could smell it.

But it was the banging, truly, that kept her from really sleeping in. What did you expect when you had a two year old helping you make breakfast?

She enjoyed it, though, just lying in bed, listening to the banging, her daughter shouting "pop!" whenever Damon would crack an egg, and her husband responding with a "shh, don't wake mommy!" that she could always hear.

Emily must have drifted back to sleep because when she awoke again, it was to the sound of their bedroom door being opened. Her husband was standing in the doorway, Sophia in one arm and Emily's breakfast in the other. He put down their daughter. She was wearing one of his shirts, and it easily went down to her ankles.

"Well don't just stand there!" Emily sat up in bed, and her daughter came running over, hopping up and collapsing into her mother's arms.

"Just like we practiced, Sophia." Damon started towards the bed.

Sophia looked up at her mother through her dark curls. "Happy Mother's Day."

Emily kissed her baby's head. "Thank you very much."

Damon put the tray of food on the bedside table and leaned down to kiss his wife. "Happy Mother's Day."


	10. Chapter 9

Sophia was already almost two years old. She was born early -January. A little late, because the due date was actually the day after Emily 's birthday which was in late December . There was very little snow that winter. And they kept Sophia in the warm house as much as possible because she was still a newborn. The next winter they spent in Los Angeles. They were looking for a change of pace and scenery. They stayed in the apartment they kept for when they were in LA while Damon was recording his album . And this year, almost two years after Sophia was born, they were finally in Boulder . But the snow was very late. It was plenty cold and icy. But no snow.

Emily was disappointed because she loved everything to do with winter, especially snow. Damon didn't mind it though. Snow was not his favorite thing.

One morning in mid-December, Damon and Emily woke up to the sound of small feet pattering through the house, then a sharp knock on the bedroom door.

"Mama! Daddy! It's white! It's white!"

Emily blinked, trying to wake up more.

"Mama! Wake up! It's white!" Then she understood. She sat up quickly and slid out from under Damon's arm. He was muttering something that sounded like, "So early."

"Mama!"

"I'm coming, baby!" Emily said loudly, wrapping her warm robe around her body and going to open the door.

"Mama!" Sophia shouted. She took her mother's hand and started pulling her toward the living room. "It's white! It's white! Come see!"

Sophia pressed her face right up to the living room window. When Emily finally caught up to her, she looked out the window and smiled widely. She crouched down and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"It's snow, Sophia !"

"Snow," she repeated slowly.

"It's really cold and really fun!" Emily turned so she was looking right into Sophia's eyes. "Tell you what. I'll go get your pink coat and boots, and you go wake Daddy. Jump on the bed and kiss him awake."

Emily laughed as she watched Sophia running back toward the bedroom shouting, "Daddy! Wake up! It's snow! Daddy!"

A few minutes later, Emily had Sophia's clothes and was waiting for them in the living room. Damon came around the corner with his daughter in his arms. "Thanks for that," he said grumpily, but kissing his wife at the same time.

"My pleasure." Then she took Sophia from him to get her dressed. "It's snow! Are you ready, baby?"

"Ready! Ready Daddy?"

"I guess so," Damon said with a small smile, shaking his head. "I can't say no to that face."

Sophia took one of each of their hands and pulled them to the door. "Snow! Come on!"

When they opened the door, the cold air blasted them. Damon mumbled something Emily couldn't quite make out. Sophia pulled them both out into the cold.

The first thing she did was trip and land face first in a pile of snow. Damon , always so protective, ran over to her. But she had jumped back up before he even reached her.

"It's cold, Daddy!"

"I know it is, sweetie," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sophia , I bet Daddy would love to show you how to make a snow angel," Emily said.

Damon shot her a look, but Emily gasped and said, with her eyes wide, "An angel?! Show me, Daddy! Show me!"

Emily smiled because she knew he didn't have a choice. She leaned up against the door frame and watched her husband and her daughter. Both lying flat on their backs, waving their arms and legs, laughing and smiling like they had never been happier.


	11. Chapter 10

Damon had their daughter in his arms. She was hiding her face in his neck. He walked over to the bed where Emily was sitting with the new baby. He sat down.

"Sophia, don't be shy." He rubbed her back.

She wouldn't look up.

"Here, trade with me." Emily handed Damon the baby, and Sophia snuggled up against her mother. She tilted her daughter's face towards her. "What's wrong Sophia ?"

"I'm sad." She sighed defeatedly. Damon tried to hide a smile, and Emily shot him a look.

"About what, sweetheart?"

"I don't want a baby."

"But Sophia," Damon placed a free hand on her back. "A new baby means you'll have someone to play with all the time!"

She looked a little happier at that.

"So will you please meet her ?" Emily l kissed the top of her daughters head.

She nodded, looking towards the bundle in her father's arms.

"Sofia, this is your sister , Nicole Payson Young ."

She smiled. "That's a nice name."

Emily laughed and Damon smiled.


	12. Chapter 11

"Mom? Dad?"

Damon stopped whispering in his wife's ear to look up at their daughter, who was staring down awkwardly and twisting her foot back and forth.

"Yes, Sophia ?"Emily asked.

"Could you two, um, cool it with the flirting and whispering and kissing and stuff? People are starting to notice."

A deep blush came over her mother's cheeks, while her father tried his best to hold back his laughter.

"We didn't know anyone was paying attention," Emily apologized, elbowing Damon when he started to let out a chuckle. "Um…thank you for telling us. We'll try not to embarrass you in front of your teammates and coach ."

Sophia smiled.

"Thanks, Mama."

"You two are doing great out there!" Emily exclaimed. "Keep up the good work!"

"Tell Nicole to make sure he finishes her jumps ," Damon instructed her.

"Will do," Sophia said, turning on her heel.

As she was walking back to the mat , she smirked to herself. Her parents could be embarrassing sometimes, but it didn't really bother her. And her friends could point and laugh all they wanted.

She would always be thankful to have parents who were in love as hers were.


End file.
